Elon Musk's rapid takeover of two U.S. government agencies has enabled the South African-born billionaire to exert unprecedented control over America's 2.2-million-member federal workforce and begin a dramatic reshaping of government.

The president said Musk won’t have the unfettered ability to dismantle the government, but for now their relationship is holding firm.

Elon Musk and his allies have spent the last two weeks barreling full speed into multiple government agencies, causing confusion and chaos and raising questions about whether an unelected businessman can wield this kind of authority,

Elon Musk worked at breakneck speed over the weekend to wipe out the U.S. Agency for International Development. His allies got access to the Treasury’s payments system. His aides reportedly locked out government employees from their computer systems that hold sensitive data.

At a signing ceremony in the Oval Office on Feb. 3, President Trump said that Elon Musk "won't do anything" without his administration's approval.

But Trump has shown no inclination to adhere to the separation of powers that gives a lead role to Congress. Instead, in his first two weeks back in the White House, he made clear he is determined to run the government based on executive decrees, not by proposing and passing conservative laws in Congress.

Washington – Elon Musk is rapidly consolidating control over large swaths of the federal government with President Donald Trump‘s blessing, sidelining career officials, gaining access to sensitive databases and dismantling a leading source of humanitarian assistance.

Tesla CEO, SpaceX founder and the richest billionaire in the world Elon Musk is now a U.S. government employee. What to know about his citizenship.